Communication Quote by W. Somerset Maugham
““It came upon me little by little. I came to like the life here, with its ease and its leisure, and the people, with their good-nature and their happy smiling faces. I began to think. I'd never had time to do that before. I began to read." "You always read." "I read for examinations. I read in order to be able to hold my own in conversation. I read for instruction. Here I learned to read for pleasure. I learned to talk. Do you know that conversation is one of the greatest pleasures in life? But it wants leisure. I'd always been too busy before. And gradually all the life that had seemed so important to me began to seem rather trivial and vulgar. What is the use of all this hustle and this constant striving?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham, 1944
He discovers that leisure, reading for pleasure, and genuine conversation bring deeper fulfillment than constant striving and hustle.
In simple terms: Leisure and learning bring true happiness.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize time for reading and meaningful talk.
Themes
leisure
learning
conversation
fulfillment
Mood
reflective
calm
inspired
Type
philosophical
personal growth
When to use this quote
- busy professionals
- students
- retirees seeking balance
- people feeling overworked
Key Concepts
humanism
self‑realization
mindfulness
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you carve out daily leisure for reading?
- What conversations enrich your life?
A Different Perspective
It may be hard to find free time in a demanding schedule.
![“I often feel happier, after putting down some of my own experiences [in my journal], than I do in reading much. Novels, even if they are good, pass out of my memory very rapidly. I enjoy it as I should a scene at the theatre; but am not essentially benefited by the incidents or morals. What more…” quote by Abigail May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ae3/abigail-may-alcott-91127_books_i-often-feel-happier-after-putting-down_96733.jpg)
